On The Issues: LGBTQ

LGBTQ

One of my proudest moments as a State Legislator was co-sponsoring the historic Civil Marriage Protection Act, which eventually brought marriage equality to Maryland. I will never forget standing on the House floor and speaking in support of equality and against this prolonged injustice. But the passage of that bill did not mean the end of inequality for members of the LGBTQ community. That’s why in 2014 I proudly co-sponsored the Fairness for All Marylanders Act of 2014 that prohibits discrimination based on gender identity.

But we’re still not done. The 2015 Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which made same-sex marriage a right nationwide, was a turning point in the fight for LGBT rights; however, we still have a long way to go. Right now, anti-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ community are being attacked under the guise of protecting religious freedom. This cannot be tolerated. In Congress, I will be a voice to expand federal equal protection laws to LGBTQ individuals.

The cornerstone of our democracy is fairness. All Americans deserve to live their lives free from discrimination on the basis of who they are and who they love.